Shi Tao © PEN

Shi Tao – jailed for sending an email

Chinese journalist Shi Tao is serving 10 years in jail after Internet company Yahoo! gave the authorities his personal email account-holder information.

Yang Tongyan

Yang Tongyan – pro-democracy activist and freelance writer

Yang Tongyan wrote web articles in support of democratic and political change in China. A court convicted him of 'subversion' and jailed him for 12 years.

Huang Jinqiu

Huang Jinqiu - Internet essayist and journalist

Huang Jinqiu criticised China and it cost him his freedom. The journalist has been jailed, tortured and beaten.

Ye Guozhu

Ye Guozhu – evicted from his home

Property owner Ye Guozhu is one of the many Beijing residents evicted from their homes to make way for Olympic building work. He spoke out and was put behind bars.

We continue to closley monitor developments in this case and will bring you updates as available.

Bu Dongwei

Bu Dongwei – imprisoned for his beliefs. RELEASED 2008

Bu Dongwei had been tortured, beaten and locked up, all because of his spiritual beliefs. In 2008 Bu Dongwei was released 4 months earlier than his scheduled release date.

© AP/Elizabeth Dalziel

Tiananmen Mothers – human rights defenders

The Tiananmen Mothers are fighting for justice for those killed and injured in an attack on peaceful protestors in Beijing's Tiananmen Square almost two decades ago.

Chen Guangcheng

Chen Guangcheng – human rights defender and legal advisor

When authorities began forcing women from the village of Linyi to have abortions and sterilisations Chen Guangcheng decided to speak up.

Gao Zhisheng © AFP

Gao Zhisheng – missing human rights lawyer

Gao Zhisheng is a self-taught lawyer, a Christian and a Chinese army veteran. He has not been seen since last September – his friends and family don’t know where he is.

© Hu Jia and Zeng Jinyan

Hu Jia – silenced behind bars

Hu Jia, a renowned Chinese human rights’ activist, is serving three-and-a-half years’ in prison after giving interviews to overseas media and writing articles for the Internet.

Photo of Nie Shubin from Sky News
video

Nie Shubin – wrongly executed

Nie Shubin's family only discovered he had been executed after his father went to take him food in prison. The young farmer, who was barely in his 20s, was reportedly tortured into confessing to the rape and murder of a woman.

© AFP

Wu Zhenjiang - put to death

Wu Zhenjiang was executed in 2005, but still to this day his body has never been returned to his grieving family. The 24-year-old student's family say they were not allowed to see him after his trial, and didn't even get to say goodbye.